The revision — .6% – may initially sound like loose change, but it’s a 25% miss.

So, economic models that operating on the original (higher) estimate have a starting point that is off by 25%.

The error compounds over time.

It’s a version of what theorists call chaos theory … how a seemingly small variation at a starting point can compound into a major effect over time.

= = = =

Side note: And, in the “new normal” economy, the downward revision was good for the stock market since it puts pressure on the Fed to continue pumping money into the economy … the bulk of which is flowing straight to the stock market.